Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:29 — 70.7MB)
Today we welcome Tim Metcalf, a Lafayette entrepreneur whose name is tied to some of Acadiana’s most beloved establishments. Owner of Deano’s Pizza, Prejean’s Restaurant, and Marcello Wine Market, along with ventures in real estate, storage, and assisted living, Tim has built his life around preserving local traditions while bringing fresh ideas to our community.
A Family Legacy in Restaurants
Tim’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his father, who left behind a thriving restaurant career in California where his pizzeria drew in celebrities and locals alike. Fess Parker and Steve McQueen were regulars as they could hang out in the days before paparazzi. “He left very successful restaurants in California just because he didn’t like the political, sociological climate. He was a country boy, an Idaho potato farmer, and the fast lifestyle of California didn’t sit well with him.” A Korean War veteran, his father moved the family to Lafayette in 1970, opening Deano’s in 1971.
“Lafayette was booming. Oilfield, oil and gas. You know, he just didn’t come to Lafayette on a whim. He read entrepreneurial magazines saying how it was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at the time,” says Tim Metcalf.
The original Deano’s on Bertrand Drive was a simple pizzeria: counter service only, draft beer, pizza, a little green salad, and fountain drinks. “You wouldn’t recognize it at all today… when Dad first started, there was no waitress. It was counter service. That didn’t work in Lafayette. He soon changed it.”
Tim, then ten years old, adapted quickly to Louisiana life after growing up in Santa Barbara. “They said, well, you can trade your surfboard for maybe a horse or a mini bike. I’m like, I’m okay. That sounds good to me.” He helped his dad around their rural property on Ridge Road and learned the value of hard work.
““We had pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens… and a pretty big garden. Dad had a rototiller — an old Sears knuckle buster — and it was a lot of work, and it all fell on me.”
As the youngest of four, Tim shouldered much of the responsibility for cutting grass, working the compost pit, and tending to the garden. “The older ones were in high school and had jobs. So from cutting the grass to road tilling, to manure, to compost, it all fell on me.” Looking back, he credits that hard work with shaping his character. “It taught me some really solid work ethic. I was never afraid of work, and still I’m not.”
By the 1980s, Tim had taken over the reins of Deano’s. Recognizing the need to adapt, Tim expanded both the hours and the menu. “When I got aboard, we started lunches and then we started other food and expanding the menu. 1983–84 — we had to do something else.” His biggest shift was weaving Acadiana’s food culture into the pizza kitchen. “That was an awakening — to start taking the Cajun food, the great food that we have in this area, and incorporating it into our pizzas and our menu. Sausages, boudin, shrimp.”
Expansion and Adaptation
Tim later partnered with his son to open a South Lafayette Deano’s, which quickly became a success. “My son and I have this great working relationship.” When COVID hit, they pivoted to selling pizzas and ranch dressing in grocery stores, personally delivering orders across Acadiana. “We kept our whole staff busy. We didn’t have to lay anybody off.”
That resilience fueled further growth. When the Guilbeau family approached him about Prejean’s, Tim stepped in. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible… I wanted to make it the spot in Carencro for the locals to hang out.”
Prejean’s: Preserving a Cajun Landmark
The opportunity to purchase Prejean’s came unexpectedly. “I had a good customer that goes, hey, you know Bob Guilbeau? He wants to talk to you about Prejean’s. Next thing I know, I talk myself into a deal.”
The iconic restaurant located at 3480 NE Evangeline Thruway, in Lafayette, long associated with Cajun culture and music, was sold by the Guilbeau family. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible. I see a picture of his grandfather in the lobby — he’s the original Bob Guilbeau. I wanted Prejean’s to stay a deep place in Carencro for the locals. Cajuns open our doors and let you in, and I wanted Prejean’s to continue that.”
He also redesigned the space to make it a welcoming community hub. “A really cool lounge area, not heavy on the music — three days a week if you want it, but also a place where you can have a conversation, network, and meet your neighbors.”
Even as Prejean’s was finding new life, Tim was eyeing another opportunity. He purchased the former Trapp’s Restaurant building at 209 S. Morgan Street in Broussard, along with Greg Metcalf and business partner Ken Boudreaux, in September of 2022
“It couldn’t be a Deano’s because pizza kitchens are very different. This one was set up for seafood, so we made it work. And it’s been good — we started doing really well.”
He saw Broussard’s growth as key: “A lot of people in Broussard are working on Highway 90, so they’re there for lunch. That’s the big difference — businesses create lunches; rooftops create dinners. Youngsville is more of a bedroom community, but Broussard has both.”
Tim’s path to owning Marcello’s Wine Market at 2800 Johnston Street in Lafayette started with a casual visit. “I went into the store and Gene Todaro was there looking tired. He says, hey, you should buy this from me. I’m like, oh, Gene, I’m a restaurant guy. He goes, but this has real estate. I like real estate.”
The location on Johnston Street included a large piece of property, making it a natural fit for Tim’s broader business interests. He partnered with Kyle Kellner and UFC fighter Dustin Poirier to acquire the store.
While Tim jokes he isn’t a wine expert, he’s far from intimidated. “I took Dick Dowty’s wine course at UL. We’ve been in Napa a few times. I know what I like. I can read a wine list, and I’m never intimidated by it.”Tim also purchased Marcello’s Wine Market with partners Kyle Kellner and UFC fighter Dustin Poirier, adding wine and real estate to his portfolio. Beyond restaurants, Tim has developed storage facilities, assisted living, and commercial strip centers.
Building “Rock Stars” in Business
Tim is clear about what makes his businesses thrive: culture and people. “Rock stars like to work with rock stars. If you get a rock star and every time you get a rock star to develop, when they leave, it’s on you. You have to develop other rock stars and be that place that rock stars want to work.”
He places a high value on attitude over experience: “Hostesses — I don’t care how many places you’ve hosted before. If you can’t smile, I probably don’t want you on my property. Your first and last impression matters.” Staff loyalty runs deep, with employees returning to Deano’s with their children, creating a multi-generational family culture.
At Jazz Fest, his team sees the payoff. “To be involved in Jazz Fest, you’ve got to be a rock star. Even if you did last year, you have to apply every year… and people fight over it. They love it.”
A Life Beyond the Restaurants
Tim also finds renewal in adventure bow hunting, which has taken him from Africa to the Arctic. “It resets my batteries, and it gives me confidence coming back home. If you can sleep with wolves and grizzly bears in freezing temperatures, you can handle anything here.”
With four generations now working in his restaurants, Tim is thinking about the future. “I think I have one Deano’s left in me — for my son and for my grandson.”
